Oppressions

Allah's Apostle said, "When the believers pass safely over (the bridge
across) Hell, they will be stopped at a bridge in between Hell and
Paradise where they will retaliate upon each other for the injustices
done among them in the world, and when they get purified of all their
sins, they will be admitted into Paradise. By Him in Whose Hands the
life of Muhammad is everybody will recognize his dwelling in Paradise
better than he recognizes his dwelling in this world."

While I was walking with Ibn 'Umar holding his hand, a man came in
front of us and asked, "What have you heard from Allah's Apostle about
An-Najwa?" Ibn 'Umar said, "I heard Allah's Apostle saying, 'Allah
will bring a believer near Him and shelter him with His Screen and ask
him: Did you commit such-and-such sins? He will say: Yes, my Lord.
Allah will keep on asking him till he will confess all his sins and
will think that he is ruined. Allah will say: 'I did screen your sins
in the world and I forgive them for you today', and then he will be
given the book of his good deeds. Regarding infidels and hypocrites
(their evil acts will be exposed publicly) and the witnesses will say:
These are the people who lied against their Lord. Behold! The Curse of
Allah is upon the wrongdoers." (11.18)

Allah's Apostle said, "A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim, so he
should not oppress him, nor should he hand him over to an oppressor.
Whoever fulfilled the needs of his brother, Allah will fulfill his
needs; whoever brought his (Muslim) brother out of a discomfort, Allah
will bring him out of the discomforts of the Day of Resurrection, and
whoever screened a Muslim, Allah will screen him on the Day of
Resurrection . "

Allah's Apostle said, "Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor
or he is an oppressed one. People asked, "O Allah's Apostle! It is all
right to help him if he is oppressed, but how should we help him if he
is an oppressor?" The Prophet said, "By preventing him from oppressing
others."

Allah's Apostle said, "Whoever has oppressed another person concerning
his reputation or anything else, he should beg him to forgive him
before the Day of Resurrection when there will be no money (to
compensate for wrong deeds), but if he has good deeds, those good
deeds will be taken from him according to his oppression which he has
done, and if he has no good deeds, the sins of the oppressed person
will be loaded on him."

Regarding the explanation of the following verse:-- "If a wife fears
Cruelty or desertion On her husband's part." (4.128) A man may dislike
his wife and intend to divorce her, so she says to him, "I give up my
rights, so do not divorce me." The above verse was revealed concerning
such a case.

A drink (milk mixed with water) was brought to Allah's Apostle who
drank some of it. A boy was sitting to his right, and some old men to
his left. Allah's Apostle said to the boy, "Do you allow me to give
the rest of the drink to these people?" The boy said, "O Allah's
Apostle! I will not give preference to anyone over me to drink the
rest of it from which you have drunk." Allah's Apostle then handed the
bowl (of drink) to the boy. (See Hadith No. 541).

That there was a dispute between him and some people (about a piece of
land). When he told 'Aisha about it, she said, "O Abu Salama! Avoid
taking the land unjustly, for the Prophet said, 'Whoever usurps even
one span of the land of somebody, his neck will be encircled with it
down the seven earths."

"We were in Medina with some of the Iraqi people, and we were struck
with famine and Ibn Az-Zubair used to give us dates. Ibn 'Umar used to
pass by and say, "The Prophet forbade us to eat two dates at a time,
unless one takes the permission of one's companions."

There was an Ansari man called Abu Shu'aib who had a slave butcher.
Abu Shu'aib said to him, "Prepare a meal sufficient for five persons
so that I might invite the Prophet besides other four persons." Abu
Shu'aib had seen the signs of hunger on the face of the Prophet and so
he invited him. Another man who was not invited, followed the Prophet.
The Prophet said to Abu Shu'aib, "This man has followed us. Do you
allow him to share the meal?" Abu Shu'aib said, "Yes."

(the wife of the Prophet) Allah's Apostle heard some people
quarreling at the door of his dwelling. He came out and said, "I am
only a human being, and opponents come to me (to settle their
problems); maybe someone amongst you can present his case more
eloquently than the other, whereby I may consider him true and give a
verdict in his favor. So, If I give the right of a Muslim to another
by mistake, then it is really a portion of (Hell) Fire, he has the
option to take or give up (before the Day of Resurrection)."

The Prophet said, "Whoever has (the following) four characters will be
a hypocrite, and whoever has one of the following four characteristics
will have one characteristic of hypocrisy until he gives it up. These
are: (1 ) Whenever he talks, he tells a lie; (2) whenever he makes a
promise, he breaks it; (3) whenever he makes a covenant he proves
treacherous; (4) and whenever he quarrels, he behaves impudently in an
evil insulting manner." (See Hadith No. 33 Vol. 1)

Hind bint 'Utba (Abu Sufyan's wife) came and said, "O Allah's Apostle!
Abu Sufyan is a miser. Is there any harm if I spend something from his
property for our children?" He said, there is no harm for you if you
feed them from it justly and reasonably (with no extravagance)."

We staid to the Prophet, "You send us out and it happens that we have
to stay with such people as do not entertain us. What do you think
about it? He said to us, "If you stay with some people and they
entertain you as they should for a guest, accept their hospitality,
but If they don't do, take the right of the guest from them."

When Allah took away the soul of His Prophet at his death, the Ansar
assembled In the shed of Bani Sa'ida. I said to Abu Bakr, "Let us go."
So, we come to them (i.e. to Ansar) at the shed of Bani Sa'ida. (See
Hadith No. 19, Vol. 5 for details)

Abu Huraira said, "Allah's Apostle said, 'No-one should prevent his
neighbor from fixing a wooden peg in his wall." Abu Huraira said (to
his companions), "Why do I find you averse to it? By Allah, I
certainly will narrate it to you."

I was the butler of the people in the house of Abu Talha, and in those
days drinks were prepared from dates. Allah's Apostle ordered somebody
to announce that alcoholic drinks had been prohibited. Abu Talha
ordered me to go out and spill the wine. I went out and spilled it,
and it flowed in the streets of Medina. Some people said, "Some people
were killed and wine was still in their stomachs." On that the Divine
revelation came:-- "On those who believe And do good deeds There is no
blame For what they ate (in the past)." (5.93)

The Prophet said, "Beware! Avoid sitting on he roads (ways)." The
people said, "There is no way out of it as these are our sitting
places where we have talks." The Prophet said, "If you must sit there,
then observe the rights of the way." They asked, "What are the rights
of the way?" He said, "They are the lowering of your gazes (on seeing
what is illegal to look at), refraining from harming people, returning
greetings, advocating good and forbidding evil."

The Prophet said, "A man felt very thirsty while he was on the way,
there he came across a well. He went down the well, quenched his
thirst and came out. Meanwhile he saw a dog panting and licking mud
because of excessive thirst. He said to himself, "This dog is
suffering from thirst as I did." So, he went down the well again and
filled his shoe with water and watered it. Allah thanked him for that
deed and forgave him. The people said, "O Allah's Apostle! Is there a
reward for us in serving the animals?" He replied: "Yes, there is a
reward for serving any animate (living being)." (See Hadith No. 551)

Once the Prophet stood at the top of one of the castles (or higher
buildings) of Medina and said, "Do you see what I see? No doubt I am
seeing the spots of afflictions amongst your houses as numerous as the
spots where rain-drops fall (during a heavy rain). (See
Hadith No. 102)

I had been eager to ask 'Umar about the two ladies from among the
wives of the Prophet regarding whom Allah said (in the Qur'an saying):
If you two (wives of the Prophet namely Aisha and Hafsa) turn in
repentance to Allah your hearts are indeed so inclined (to oppose what
the Prophet likes) (66.4), till performed the Hajj along with 'Umar
(and on our way back from Hajj) he went aside (to answer the call of
nature) and I also went aside along with him carrying a tumbler of
water. When he had answered the call of nature and returned. I poured
water on his hands from the tumbler and he performed ablution. I said,
"O Chief of the believers! ' Who were the two ladies from among the
wives of the Prophet to whom Allah said:

'If you two return in repentance (66.4)? He said, "I am astonished at
your question, O Ibn 'Abbas. They were Aisha and Hafsa."

Then 'Umar went on relating the narration and said. "I and an Ansari
neighbor of mine from Bani Umaiya bin Zaid who used to live in 'Awali
Al-Medina, used to visit the Prophet in turns. He used to go one day,
and I another day. When I went I would bring him the news of what had
happened that day regarding the instructions and orders and when he
went, he used to do the same for me. We, the people of Quraish, used
to have authority over women, but when we came to live with the Ansar,
we noticed that the Ansari women had the upper hand over their men, so
our women started acquiring the habits of the Ansari women. Once I
shouted at my wife and she paid me back in my coin and I disliked that
she should answer me back. She said, 'Why do you take it ill that I
retort upon you? By Allah, the wives of the Prophet retort upon him,
and some of them may not speak with him for the whole day till night.'
What she said scared me and I said to her, 'Whoever amongst them does
so, will be a great loser.' Then I dressed myself and went to Hafsa
and asked her, 'Does any of you keep Allah's Apostle angry all the day
long till night?' She replied in the affirmative. I said, 'She is a
ruined losing person (and will never have success)! Doesn't she fear
that Allah may get angry for the anger of Allah's Apostle and thus she
will be ruined? Don't ask Allah's Apostle too many things, and don't
retort upon him in any case, and don't desert him. Demand from me
whatever you like, and don't be tempted to imitate your neighbor (i.e.
'Aisha) in her behavior towards the Prophet), for she (i.e. Aisha) is
more beautiful than you, and more beloved to Allah's Apostle.

In those days it was rumored that Ghassan, (a tribe living in Sham)
was getting prepared their horses to invade us. My companion went (to
the Prophet on the day of his turn, went and returned to us at night
and knocked at my door violently, asking whether I was sleeping. I was
scared (by the hard knocking) and came out to him. He said that a
great thing had happened. I asked him: What is it? Have Ghassan come?
He replied that it was worse and more serious than that, and added
that Allah's Apostle had divorced all his wives. I said, Hafsa is a
ruined loser! I expected that would happen some day.' So I dressed
myself and offered the Fajr prayer with the Prophet. Then the Prophet
entered an upper room and stayed there alone. I went to Hafsa and
found her weeping. I asked her, 'Why are you weeping? Didn't I warn
you? Have Allah's Apostle divorced you all?' She replied, 'I don't
know. He is there in the upper room.' I then went out and came to the
pulpit and found a group of people around it and some of them were
weeping. Then I sat with them for some time, but could not endure the
situation. So I went to the upper room where the Prophet was and
requested to a black slave of his: "Will you get the permission of
(Allah's Apostle) for Umar (to enter)? The slave went in, talked to
the Prophet about it and came out saying, 'I mentioned you to him but
he did not reply.' So, I went and sat with the people who were sitting
by the pulpit, but I could not bear the situation, so I went to the
slave again and said: "Will you get he permission for Umar? He went
in and brought the same reply as before. When I was leaving, behold,
the slave called me saying, "Allah's Apostle has granted you
permission." So, I entered upon the Prophet and saw him lying on a mat
without wedding on it, and the mat had left its mark on the body of
the Prophet, and he was leaning on a leather pillow stuffed with palm
fires. I greeted him and while still standing, I said: "Have you
divorced your wives?' He raised his eyes to me and replied in the
negative. And then while still standing, I said chatting: "Will you
heed what I say, 'O Allah's Apostle! We, the people of Quraish used to
have the upper hand over our women (wives), and when we came to the
people whose women had the upper hand over them..."

'Umar told the whole story (about his wife). "On that the Prophet
smiled." 'Umar further said, "I then said, 'I went to Hafsa and said
to her: Do not be tempted to imitate your companion ('Aisha) for she
is more beautiful than you and more beloved to the Prophet.' The
Prophet smiled again. When I saw him smiling, I sat down and cast a
glance at the room, and by Allah, I couldn't see anything of
importance but three hides. I said (to Allah's Apostle) "Invoke Allah
to make your followers prosperous for the Persians and the Byzantines
have been made prosperous and given worldly luxuries, though they do
not worship Allah?' The Prophet was leaning then (and on hearing my
speech he sat straight) and said, 'O Ibn Al-Khatttab! Do you have any
doubt (that the Hereafter is better than this world)? These people
have been given rewards of their good deeds in this world only.' I
asked the Prophet . 'Please ask Allah's forgiveness for me. The
Prophet did not go to his wives because of the secret which Hafsa had
disclosed to 'Aisha, and he said that he would not go to his wives for
one month as he was angry with them when Allah admonished him (for his
oath that he would not approach Maria). When twenty-nine days had
passed, the Prophet went to Aisha first of all. She said to him, 'You
took an oath that you would not come to us for one month, and today
only twenty-nine days have passed, as I have been counting them day by
day.' The Prophet said, 'The month is also of twenty-nine days.' That
month consisted of twenty-nine days. 'Aisha said, 'When the Divine
revelation of Choice was revealed, the Prophet started with me, saying
to me, 'I am telling you something, but you needn't hurry to give the
reply till you can consult your parents." 'Aisha knew that her parents
would not advise her to part with the Prophet . The Prophet said that
Allah had said:--

'O Prophet! Say To your wives; If you desire The life of this world
And its glitter, ... then come! I will make a provision for you and
set you free In a handsome manner. But if you seek Allah And His
Apostle, and The Home of the Hereafter, then Verily, Allah has
prepared For the good-doers amongst you A great reward.' (33.28)
'Aisha said, 'Am I to consult my parents about this? I indeed prefer
Allah, His Apostle, and the Home of the Hereafter.' After that the
Prophet gave the choice to his other wives and they also gave the same
reply as 'Aisha did."

Allah's Apostle took an oath that he would not go to his wives for one
month as his foot had been sprained. He stayed in an upper room when
'Umar went to him and said, "Have you divorced your wives?" He said,
"No, but I have taken an oath that I would not go to them for one
month." The Prophet stayed there for twenty-nine days, and then came
down and went to his wives.

The Prophet entered the Mosque, and I too went there after tying the
camel at the pavement of the Mosque. I said (to the Prophet ), "This
is your camel." He came out and started examining the camel and said,
"Both the camel and its price are for you."

The Prophet said, "When an adulterer commits illegal sexual
intercourse, then he is not a believer at the time, he is doing it,
and when a drinker of an alcoholic liquor drinks it, then he is not a
believer at the time of drinking it, and when a thief steals, then he
is not a believer at the time of stealing, and when a robber robs, and
the people look at him, then he is not a believer at the time of doing
robbery.

Allah's Apostle said, "The Hour will not be established until the son
of Mary (i.e. Jesus) descends amongst you as a just ruler, he will
break the cross, kill the pigs, and abolish the Jizya tax. Money will
be in abundance so that nobody will accept it (as charitable gifts).

On the day of Khaibar the Prophet saw fires being lighted. He asked,
"Why are these fires being lighted?" The people replied that they were
cooking the meat of donkeys. He said, "Break the pots and throw away
their contents." The people said, "Shall we throw away their contents
and wash the pots (rather than break them)?" He said, "Wash them."

The Prophet entered Mecca and (at that time) there were three
hundred-and-sixty idols around the Ka'ba. He started stabbing the
idols with a stick he had in his hand and reciting: "Truth (Islam) has
come and Falsehood (disbelief) has vanished."

Aisha said that she hung a curtain decorated with pictures (of
animates) on a cupboard. The Prophet tore that curtain and she turned
it into two cushions which remained in the house for the Prophet to
sit on.

While the Prophet was with one of his wives, one of the mothers of the
believers (i.e. one of his wives) sent a wooden bowl containing food
with a servant. The wife (in whose house he was sitting) stroke the
bowl with her hand and broke it. The Prophet collected the shattered
pieces and put the food back in it and said, "Eat." He kept the
servant and the bowl till he had eaten the food. Then the Prophet gave
another unbroken. bowl to the servant and kept the broken one.

Allah's Apostle said, "There was an Israeli man called Juraij, while
he was praying, his mother came and called him, but he did not respond
to her call. He said (to himself) whether he should continue the
prayer or reply to his mother. She came to him the second time and
called him and said, "O Allah! Do not let him die until he sees the
faces of prostitutes." Juraij used to live in a hermitage. A woman
said that she would entice Juraij, so she went to him and presented
herself (for an evil act) but he refused. She then went to a shepherd
and allowed him to commit an illegal sexual intercourse with her and
later she gave birth to a boy. She alleged that the baby was from
Juraij. The people went to Juraij and broke down his hermitage, pulled
him out of it and abused him. He performed ablution and offered the
prayer, then he went to the male (baby) and asked him; "O boy! Who is
your father?" The baby replied that his father was the shepherd. The
people said that they would build for him a hermitage of gold but
Juraij asked them to make it of mud only."